The Forbidden Chamber

Night fell over the Azure Sky Sect, leaving the mountain peaks into shadows.

Lu Chen stood at the edge of the inner sect territory, hidden within the dense bamboo forest that bordered the Silent Willow Courtyard.

From this vantage point, he could see the courtyard's outer walls, the stone walkways, and the formation inscriptions embedded in the sect's architecture.

The inner sect was vastly different from the outer disciple.

The buildings here were grand and meticulously maintained, adorned with spiritual carvings that reinforced their Qi formations. Lanterns hovered midair, floating with a soft golden glow, illuminating the paths where disciples in fine robes walked, their auras far stronger than those of the outer sect.

Unlike the outer disciples, inner disciples had servants attending to them, ensuring that they could focus solely on their cultivation.

This was a world of privilege and power and right now, Lu Chen had no place in it.

If he was caught sneaking in, the punishment would be severe. But he wasn't planning to get caught.

Taking a deep breath, he activated Shadow Serpent Arts and moved.

His body melded into the darkness, each step calculated to remain outside of any sightlines.

The movement technique allowed him to control the weight of his steps, distributing the pressure evenly so that he left no trace on the ground.

Lu Chen waited for the right moment, watching the patrols from a distance.

The inner sect guards were not careless. Unlike the outer sect disciples who often slacked off, these men were trained, disciplined, and held cultivation bases at the Foundation Establishment stage.

If he tried to fight his way in, he would be captured immediately. Instead, he had to be patient.

He followed the simulation's success path, waiting until the second patrol shift began, when the guards would be exchanging places.

The moment the formation weakened to allow the passage of the guards, Lu Chen moved.

His body flickered forward like a shadow slipping through moonlight, and in the blink of an eye, he was inside.

No alarm.

So far so good, everything was going according to plan.

Lu Chen's heartbeat remained steady as he maneuvered through the courtyard's labyrinth of walkways and buildings.

He knew where to go.

The restricted chamber was located at the northernmost side of the Silent Willow Courtyard, hidden behind a secondary formation that marked it as off-limits.

As he approached, he caught sight of the inscription seals carved into the chamber's doors.

They faint golden light, and they carried an authoritative pressure that warned trespassers of dire consequences.

A normal disciple would have no way of entering, but not Lu Chen

He reached into his spatial ring and pulled out the strange metal token he had found in the hidden cave.

The moment he brought it close to the door… The inscription seals flickered. Then, one by one, they deactivated.

Lu Chen felt a rush of excitement!

Whoever the old cultivator was, they had left behind a key to this very chamber.

He wasted no time.

Slipping inside, he shut the door behind him.

And for the first time since stepping into the inner sect… He allowed himself to breathe.

The chamber was dark and silent, the air thick with the scent of aged parchment and ink.

Dust-Covered shelves lined the walls, filled with scrolls and jade slips, all of them carefully preserved despite their age.

Lu Chen didn't have time to examine them all.

He needed to find what Gu Tianying was after, the reason an elder had been sneaking into this chamber so frequently.

He moved quickly but carefully, his eyes scanning the shelves, then he found it.

At the very back of the chamber, locked within a glass display case, lay a scroll bound in black silk.

Unlike the other scrolls, which radiated an aura of sect techniques and Qi refinement arts, this one felt… Different.

Lu Chen's instincts screamed at him, there was something dangerous about this scroll. He reached forward, pressing his fingers against the glass.

A soft click, the case unlocked.

Lu Chen carefully unwrapped the black silk, revealing the title in faded ink across the surface of the scroll.

"The Path of the Withered Shadow."

He had never heard of it, but something about it sent a chill down his spine. This was not an ordinary cultivation technique.

Before he could read further, a sudden pressure filled the room.

Lu Chen froze.

Someone was here.

A soft footstep echoed behind him, Lu Chen turned instantly, his hand tightening around his dagger.

A figure stood at the entrance of the chamber.

Their robes were black, blending with the shadows. Presence was almost non-existent, like a ghost that had never left a trace of its existence.

Yet Lu Chen felt them, he knew instinctively that this was no inner disciple.

The figure studied him for a moment before speaking. "You're not the one I expected to find here."

The voice was calm.

Lu Chen said nothing, his body tensed, every muscle coiled and ready to move.

The figure took one slow step forward, unconcerned by Lu Chen's reaction.

"That scroll doesn't belong to you."

Lu Chen forced himself to remain calm.

"And it belongs to you?"

A soft laugh.

"In a way."

The air grew colder, the very atmosphere shifting, foundation Establishment, and not just an early-stage one.

Lu Chen knew immediately, this person was far beyond his level. He had no chance of winning a direct fight.

His mind raced.

The simulations had not predicted this.

This person hadn't shown up in any of the future paths he had tested.

They were an unforeseen variable.

Lu Chen took a slow step back, his eyes darting toward the exit.

The figure noticed.

"You won't get away," the figure said with a voice almost amused.

Lu Chen's grip tightened around his dagger.

Lu Chen moved first.

With a burst of speed, he dashed to the side, his footwork guided by the Shadow Serpent Arts, making his movement unpredictable.

At the same time, he hurled a small throwing dagger from his sleeve, aiming directly for the figure's throat.

But before it could reach, with a single flick of the wrist… the figure barely moved, but a shockwave of Qi deflected the blade midair.

Lu Chen didn't hesitate, using that moment of distraction, he run for the exit.

"Pointless."

In an instant, a shadow-like force lashed out, striking toward Lu Chen like a serpent of black energy.

He barely dodged.

The attack scraped past his shoulder, sending a wave of cold numbness through his arm.

Poisoned Qi!

He couldn't fight this person.

His only option was to escape.

If he failed now… He was dead.